Memory of Mother
By Ayato Kamina
Yami was sitting in the living room, watching television about Egypt while Yugi was working on his homework. While upstairs, Yugi had a nagging question on his mind. He went downstairs to see Yami.
"Yami, can I ask you something?" Yugi asked as he sat next to him. "Of course, Yugi. Anything. What troubles you?" Yami answered.
"Well…" Yugi began. "I know you don't know much about your past, but…do you remember what your mother looked like?"
Yami looked up in horror. No one has ever talked about his mother. "Yugi, would you excuse me for a second?" Yami said.
"Sure."
Yami got up and walked into his room.
Yami sat on his bed in deep though. Mother…he thought. I wish I remembered you. Only your face lingers within me…
Just then, Yugi knocked on the door. "Yes?" Yami said.
"Yami, it's me," Yugi said from the other side. "Can I come in?"
There was a slight pause. Finally, Yami sighed. "Come," he said depressingly. Yugi opened the door. "Yami, are you okay?" he asked. "I'm fine Yugi," he whispered.
"Look, I understand if you don't remember your mother, but--"
"It's not that. It's just…" Yami sighed as he began his tale. "If I tell you, will you promise not to tell anyone?"
"I promise Yami," Yugi said. Yami sighed and he began. "When I was a boy, growing up in Egypt, I was playing in the fields near the pyramids of Cairo. I had the perfect family and a perfect life…until one day...
"My mother went to a village near the kingdom to pick up some fruit. She was on her way home, carrying fruits, such as bananas, bazaar and others. I got worried at the palace and went to find her and disguised myself as a commoner. I heard screams and arrows flying through the sky, which meant only one thing to my mind: my mother was in enemy territory and she didn't know how to defend herself."
Yugi gasped but his eyes urged him to continue. "I ran to my mother to protect her. I even removed my commoner clothing and reviled myself as the prince. But they didn't stop shooting," Yami said. Tear began to fill in his eyes. "They aimed for my mother who was taller than me…and pierced her heart. I ran over to help just as the raiders fled, but I was too late. She was gone…forever…" Yami began to cry. "Without her, I don't even remember what she looked like, but I knew what happened to her…" he whispered.
"Yami…I'm so sorry…" Yugi said as he placed an arm around his shoulder. "There's nothing you can do to help me," Yami said. He stood up and left the room and walked out the door to the game shop.
Yami walked in the dark night alone, thinking about his lost mother. The wind blew his jacket and hair soothingly like a blanket. He later came to a bench and sat down to cry. "Mother…I wish I knew more about you than just your caring face…why did you have to go?" he said to himself as he cried, not even aware of a soft voice that turned him away from his thoughts.
"Poor guy, what's wrong?"
Yami looked up to see a very young woman, about her early twenties with long blonde hair and purple eyes. She was wearing a white blouse and a pair of blue jeans, finally touched with high heeled boots. Yami was shocked at her beauty and so was the woman about this boy. For several minutes, silence was the only thing spoken, until the woman broke the silence. "…A-Atemu? Is that you, my son?" she asked.
"…Okasan?" Yami asked. He couldn't believe it! The woman standing before him was his mother, reincarnated! He stood up and walked slowly to her until he was only an inch in front of her. "Okasan!" he cried as he hugged her. "Ore gozen sou yukai tame suru maro! (I'm so happy to see you!) Ore shigan maro kieuseru! (I thought you died!)"
"I came back, my son, that same night," his mother said. They broke the embrace with Yami looking into her eyes. "What of father? Is he alive too?" he asked. His mother sadly shook her head. "I'm sorry. Otusan isn't coming," she said. Yami looked down in shame, but his mother cupped his chin. "But he's within you, in you heart, like he always is...my prince."
Suddenly, his mother began to change. Her body was becoming like a ghost. "I have to go now," she said. "Mother! Wait!" Yami cried. "You should meet my friends here in the modern life!" His mother turned to him and smiled. "I'm sorry, but I can't. My time is short, but do not worry, I left you something in your home. You may look if you like. Farewell, my son," she said as she disappeared into the sky. "Goodbye, mother," Yami said as he walked home.
As he got home, he found Yugi on the couch watching TV. Yugi jumped in surprise when he saw Yami. "Yami! Are you okay?" he asked. "I am now," he said. "Oh, by the way, some lady came by with a package for you. She didn't tell me her name, but she said it was for her son," Yugi said. Yami smiled. "She means me," he said as he walked to the table where the package was. He took it and unwrapped it. Inside the package was something that put one part of his memory into place.
A little black box was inside it. He took it and opened it. Inside was a golden Egyptian ring, known only to his kingdom as the Ring of the Nile. His mother had worn this ring before she died and now, it was passed on to him as a memoir of his loved one. He smiled greatly and placed it on his right hand ring finger. "Thank you, mother," he whispered to the heavens and walked to his room to drift off to dreamland and to know more about his one true mother.